1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method thereof, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a general image forming apparatus including a post-processing apparatus such as a stapler is configured to convey printing paper sheets one by one, on which the image forming apparatus forms images by itself, and staple a plurality of printing paper sheets after they are stacked on a tray on the post-processing apparatus.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-206298 has proposed an image forming apparatus in which the user inserts a bundle of printing paper sheets onto the processing tray of a finisher and which performs staple processing for the bundle of paper sheets inserted onto the processing tray. This function will be referred to as manual stapling. Some apparatus is configured to set, as the execution timing of this manual stapling, the time point when a bundle of papers is detected by a paper bundle detection sensor instead of the time point when a staple button is pressed. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-107322 has proposed an image forming apparatus which prepares two timings, namely the timing detected by a paper bundle detection sensor and the timing when the button is pressed, each as the execution timing of manual stapling, and allows the user to switch between the timings.
However, the above related art has the following problems. For example, when performing manual stapling, the user occupies the post-processing apparatus. If, therefore, a printing paper sheet on which an image forming apparatus has printed is conveyed to the post-processing apparatus in the manual staple mode, the paper sheet collides with the bundle of paper sheets to be manually stapled, thus causing jam. For this reason, it is necessary to execute exclusive processing such as inhibiting the image forming apparatus from printing during manual stapling or inhibiting manual stapling during printing by the image forming apparatus.
When inhibiting printing during the manual staple mode, maintaining the manual staple mode may inhibit the apparatus from transiting to the print mode, thereby inhibiting the apparatus from executing printing. In an office, in particular, a plurality of users share one image forming apparatus. For this reason, some user may execute manual stapling while another user wants to execute printing. When the apparatus maintains the manual staple mode, another user cannot execute printing as long as the mode is maintained. For example, when performing PDL printing, the user is likely to input a job from a place remote from the image forming apparatus. The user foresees the time when printing is complete upon inputting of a job, and moves to a position in front of the image forming apparatus. However, the apparatus may not perform printing due to the manual staple mode.